1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrical installation in a floor of a building for making electrical connections therein and more particularly to a flush mounted electrical installation having resiliently supported connector means.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrical installations for providing electricity to telephones, computer terminals, typewriters and a wide variety of electrical devices have been used in commercial and industrial buildings and schools for many years. With the advent of computer systems, video displays and other electronic equipment, flexibility in the use and planning of wiring systems in buildings has become a concern for engineers and architects.
Many buildings are now provided with underfloor ducts in which raceways of electrical cables are embedded in the concrete fill of the building. The advantage of this type of construction is that electrical outlets can usually be provided in an area where it is more efficient and practical to place electrical equipment and devices, thus facilitating office layout and planning.
Recently there has been considerable attention directed to the cosmetics of office layouts, in particular, electrical outlets. In some floor systems, preset flush outlets are provided that allow power cords and telephone wires to penetrate the floor almost unobtrusively. Those outlets can be fully concealed by carpeting. Plastic covers or flip-up lids are generally used with these flush service arrangements. The covers or lids typically cover an aperture that is provided in the floor for access to the power or telephone lines. Grommets are sometimes used to hold in place the wires that are fitted through the covers or lids.
One problem with these flush type arrangements is the reduction in the strength of the floor at the location of the lid or cover. At times the electrical installations are stepped-on and relatively heavy items are placed on the covers. Under such loads, plastic covers have a tendency to crack or break which can lead to damage of the electrical connectors and potential shut-down of the equipment and/or fires. Such an installation construction would thus seem to undesirably present certain hazardous conditions that various building code regulations require be prevented or minimized. Installing these arrangements in such a manner so as to avoid the application of usual office loads would disadvantageously limit the flexibility of the layout of equipment and devices.
It is therefore desirable, in particular with flush service systems, to provide an electrical installation that is capable of supporting typical loads without harmful damage to the installation or the electrical connections.